February 06, 2009

First look at a notable 'Battlestar Galactica' guest star

The overworked physician barely seems to have time for his smokes anymore, given how busy he is in the sick bay. But he's finally getting some assistance in the Feb. 13 episode of "Battlestar Galactica." (For an interview with the writer of the Feb. 6 episode, "Blood on the Scales," go here.)

If you want to see a photo of the Famous Author who has a cameo role as one of Cottle's medical associates in that episode, click below. This person's participation in the episode is pretty widely known among "Battlestar" fans, but if you'd rather not know who it is, don't click below.

Dr. Gerard, I assume?

Yes, that is John Hodgman, the "Daily Show's" resident expert, as Dr. Gerard in "No Exit," the Feb. 13 episode of "Battlestar." Hodgman is internationally famous as the author of "The Areas of My Expertise" and "More Information Than You Require," tomes of Complete World Knowledge.

I asked Hodgman about his "Battlestar" cameo for this November story about his many media endeavors. Here's an excerpt from that piece:

"After unexpectedly becoming a television personality, and getting an agent, and hearing they were going to [end the show] after Season 4, my distant idea of ‘Maybe someday they’d have me come on and pull a lever or press a button’ became very imperative,” said Hodgman, who wrote a story on the show for the New York Times Magazine in 2005. “I called my agent and said, ‘I’d love to do anything. It’s OK if it doesn’t work out, but I’d push a button or pull a lever or answer an old-fashioned telephone.’”

He got his wish and will play a doctor in an upcoming episode of the show. And given that he’s usually stuck behind a desk on “The Daily Show” or standing somewhat still in the Apple ads, to “act in three dimensions” was surreal, he said.

“The first time I had the opportunity to turn around while talking [in a scene], it was like jumping off a cliff,” he said.

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